Sports

Rays
'Close' may be a start
Entering second half as worst team in baseball, Rays hope for better showing in tight games.

McRae hoping to keep kids together
ST. PETERSBURG -- Hal McRae knows business is business. He knows what might happen over the next couple weeks, that he could lose a handful of key players in trades, that his team could be torn apart by deals driven almost solely by dollars.

Lightning
Lightning has shot at fast start
Its season opens Oct. 10 at Florida, but nine of the first 13 games will be on the road.

Baseball
An issue fit to be untied
Selig, managers defend calling All-Star Game at 7-7 but start considering ways to prevent it.

Game yields to business
Compelling races may come to nothing if labor talks can't produce a deal.

Phillies' Buchholz on strikeout roll
When Taylor Buchholz takes the mound, opponents usually take a seat.

[Times photo: Stefanie Boyar]
Gigi Fernandez, 38, is USF's new women's tennis coach.

Colleges
USF tennis coach can't wait to start
Gigi Fernandez, who recently moved to Tampa, wants to make the Bulls' women's team a "top 10 contender."

Golf
Trevino proved spoiler in last Grand Slam bid
Dispirited chip-in leads to 1972 British Open title, derails Jack Nicklaus.

Augusta not swayed to admit women
A woman will one day wear a green members' jacket, just as minorities were asked to join Augusta National Golf Club, just as a black golfer was invited to play in the Masters Tournament. It may take longer than many like, but it will happen.

Preps
Kitchen wins national award
Former Countryside coach Scott Kitchen has been named Student Sports National Coach of the Year.

Early forfeit doesn't deter Yellow Jackets
They took the long road to get there, but the Yellow Jackets are right where they want to be.

Club soccer teams lose at regionals
TAMPA -- While Brazil was beating Germany 2-0 in the World Cup final in Japan on June30, the Tampa Bay Kickers were watching their season come to an end against South Texas in Little Rock, Ark.

Bowling
Polarizing pro is the top winner
Many bowling fans won't like this, but PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber is the all-time tournament winner with 61 pro titles, if you include his 33 regional wins.

Outdoors
Daily fishing report
Long, hot summer days have slowed fishing at times. The best bet has been from 6-10 a.m., and working chuggers and topwater prop baits has been productive on shallow grass flats in the first hour or so of daylight.

On The Wire
Arizona Regains No. 1 Ranking in AP Poll
Garnett Eclipsed by Jordan Farewell
Report: Creditors O.K. Bid for Senators
Green Surprises Earnhardt at Daytona
UConn Remains Unanimous in Women's Poll

Americans Lose in 1st Round of Davis Cup

World Cup soccer

South Korea Thanks Soccer Teams

Brazil Celebration Turns Ugly

World's Worst Claims Soccer Honors